It's easier (and cheaper) to rent a car when you're only 20

The French government recognizes that if it is going to get American tourists to stay longer and spend more money when visiting, the country needs to rebrand itself as a more welcoming nation. "People often talk about France as an arrogant nation," said France's Secretary of State for Tourism, Frederic Lefebvre, who was in New York earlier this month to unveil a new tourism marketing strategy. "We would like to make a strong effort to improve the sense of welcoming in France," said Lefebvre. Consequently, the French government and Atout France, the country's destination marketing agency, have launched a new tourism marketing campaign called "Rendez-vous en France," complete with a new logo and a new approach to tourism. The new logo incorporates an image of Marianne, the national emblem of France, along with the phrase "Rendez-vous en France." The logo also includes the new French tourism website, Rendezvousenfrance.com. The logo will be seen on the badges of employees involved in the tourism industry in France, Lefebrve explained. For example, it will be on the badges of people posted at the airport to welcome and provide assistance to tourists when they arrive in France. "We are number one in the world in terms of the number of tourists that come to France every year. We are 20 million tourists ahead of the United States," said Lefebvre. "But, in terms of sales, we are very far behind the U.S." France welcomed 76.8 million tourists in 2010, said Lefebrve. But "the problem is that in terms of sales, we are declining. And we are declining because we need to increase the length of stay," said the tourism minister. He said that France brings in about $64.7 billion in annual tourism revenue, compared to Spain, which brings in about $74.7 billion annually, and the U.S., which brings in about $146.5 billion. Of France's 76.8 million tourists, about three million are U.S. tourists, and that number has been relatively flat year-over-year, said Lefebrve. In addition to France's image issue, other reasons U.S. tourists hesitate traveling to France are the dollar-euro exchange rate and rising airfares, he noted. What about you? Have you been or would you like to go to France? Do you considerate the French arrogant, and has that turned you off from visiting the country? Let us know! More from Budget Travel: Top 10 reasons we love France 29 Stunning Photos of France France's new impressionism festival makes for a fun day trip from Paris

Earlier this year, Gadling.com posted an article about finding love on an airplane. A weird topic, no? I may be alone in this sentiment, but I like to think of airplane time as one of very few moments in life when I get to be quiet, to unwind, to get some reading done, and to generally not have to deal with friends, family members, or coworkers. I'm a friendly person (I swear!), but leave me alone on a plane. I couldn't help but be reminded of the time when I was seated next to an extremely flirtatious older woman—easily old enough to be my great–grandmother—on a flight from Tampa to New York. Throughout the trip, she regaled me with stories of her newly awakened retirement community dating life and her list of current paramours. Then she asked me to adjust her seat belt for her and giggled like a schoolgirl when my hand accidentally brushed against her. Awkward. To escape what I perceived as her heavy flirtations, I put my headphones back on and turned to the seatback TV screen in front of me. Flipping through the channels, I passed by the movie Harold and Maude, a film in which a twentysomething young man and an 80-year-old woman fall in love. Identifying a bit too much with Harold against my will, I sped past the channel, but it was too late. "Was that Harold and Maude?!" she screamed. "That's my favorite movie—and I went to school with the lead!" Whether or not I was reading too much into harmless interactions as a nervous teenager, one fact remains true: I'm not a fan of onboard interaction, romantic or otherwise. And I seem to always attract the chattiest seatmates. I've developed a few non-verbal cues to try to give them the hint (in the politest way possible) that I don't want to chat: - Always keep in at least one ear bud during the conversation. It's a good indication that you'd much rather be listening to Beyoncé on your iPod than talking about your neighbor's upcoming conference in Scottsdale. - Keep your reading materials open to the page you were reading before being interrupted. This says: "I am only temporarily chatting with you, but I fully intend to get back to Harry Potter the second you stop talking." - Break eye contact frequently and look longingly toward whatever else you'd rather be doing (a book, the TV, a magazine). How do you deal with an unwanted chatty seatmate? Any tips or tricks to get a little peace and quiet? MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Creepiest airline passenger ever? This summer, travel with your little one—and your sanity Why does everyone hate your baby?

Next month, your underwater photography skills could win you a free dive trip in the Seychelles, a check for $5,000, and loads of other prizes. Anyone with less–than–stellar equipment (or subpar swimming skills) can attest to the difficulty of taking underwater photos worth a hoot. All too often, the results are bubbly, blurry, or just–blue. Which makes any crystal–clear, full–color shot you manage to capture below sea level even more impressive—and valuable, thanks to Epson's annual World of Underwater Images Competition, coming up next month. Here's how it works: Amateurs and pros alike are invited to take their best underwater shots between August 1–August 8, 2011, then submit the most spectacular images via the Epson World Shootout web site. (Contestants must register by July 30, 2011, and will be given a specific date to program into their cameras to verify the timeline.) The contest is only for images taken in natural environments—think rivers, lakes, oceans, and swimming holes, not the Lazy River at the local water park. There are seven categories to choose from, each with their own rules and submission guidelines: fresh water, ship or plane wreckage, underwater conservation, wide angle, macro and super–macro, dive destination, and amateur (which is only for photos taken with compact cameras, not DSLRs). The cost to enter the amateur category is about $50 for three images, or $36 for one—but the prizes make it worth the investment. The 21 winners (three per category) will walk away with treats like dive vacations in the Seychelles, Galapagos, Micronesia, Palau, and Papua New Guinea; a $4,000 underwater camera system; and cash prizes up to $5,000. Winners will be announced November 19 in Eilat, a Red Sea resort town in southern Israel, and on the contest's web site. Of course, it doesn't cost anything to submit your underwater photos for our upcoming Readers' Best Underwater Photos slideshow. Just upload them here, and you may be featured on BudgetTravel.com or in a future issue of the magazine! Just getting your feet wet with underwater photography? May we recommend a hands–free camera like Liquid Image Works's mask-mounted snorkel cam? Also useful: Budget Travel's two-part series on how to take better vacation photos. Happy shooting! MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 4 Tips for Tough Photo Scenarios How to Take Better Food Photos How to Take Better Sunset Photos